Wig



Dec. 23, 1969 F. R. MAST 3,485,249

WIG

Filed Dec. 16, 1966 IN VEN TOR. Za/PfA/ff f /Wfr United States Patent O 3,485,249 WIG Florence R. Mast, 301 E. 47th St., Apt. 6C, New York, N.Y. 10017 Filed Dec. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 602,300 Int. Cl. A41g 3/00 US. Cl. 132-53 2 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A wig including a flexible base with hair attached to the outer surface thereof having a covering underlying a portion of the inner surface to form a pocket. Stuffing is inserted into the pocket to shape the wig into a bouffant hairstyle.

This invention relates to improvements in wigs and more particularly relates to a novel wig construction which utilizes a pocket on the underside of the base or foundation of the wig construction for insertion of a stuffing material whereby a natural or realistic bouffant hair style is realized.

Hair formers by which the hair is raised or shaped are known. Typical examples include a pompadour-comb for supporting a pompadour as described in U.S. Patent No. 794,479; support devices for forming puffs in hairdos as shown in U.S. Patent No. 264,935; hair puffs for attachment to the hair as shown in U.S. Patent No. 968,514; pre-formed, attachable, imitation-braid chignons as described in U.S. Patent No. 124,299; and hair pads or hair bands to support Waves or bands in the wearers hair as shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,474,148.

Also known are interchangeable hairpieces for display figures whereby their hair styles can be varied, as shown in U.S. Patent No. 1,319,800; similarly for dolls, as in US. Patent Nos. 2,820,326 and 3,225,489. Moreover, a wig or toupee having a raised, laminated portion in the front part of the wig or toupee to produce a more natural or realistic front hairline is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,165,107. There is still a need in the wig-making art, however, for wig construction whereby a raised or boufant effect could be obtained and easily changed by the wearer.

It is an object of this invention to provide a wig construction of the character described, comprising a flexible base or foundation readily adaptable to the configuration of the head, said base having a pocket portion wherein a blocking material may be inserted to give a bouffant or raised effect to the hair portion of the wig. Other objects of the invention will readily be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Accordingly, the novel wig construction of this invention creating a hairdo having a bouffant effect comprises a flexible base, hair secured to the outer surface of the base, a flexible layer for attachment to the inner surface of the base to form a pocket therebetween, means for attaching the flexible layer to the inner surface of the flexible base to form a pocket, and means for attaching the base to the hair of the wearer.

Within the meaning of this invention, a bouffant effect is meant to encompass a hair style or hairdo wherein the hair has been raised up, or has been teased up, or placed in a buildup or pompadour manner on the top of the head. The bouffant effect is illustrated in the drawings, see specifically FIGURES 5, 6 and 7.

Any suitable material can be inserted, positioned, stuffed, packed, etc., into the pocket portion of the novel wig construction. Examples of suitable materials include cotton wads, cloth, pre-formed pads having a permanent shape, and the like.

ICC

The pocket portion can be positioned anywhere on the base, depending upon where the raised effect is desired. Indeed, a plurality of pockets can be positioned on the base, or a pocket within a pocket. In order to add versatility to the hairdos that can be obtained using the novel wig construction of this invention.

The material from which the base of the wig or the pocket is formed is that conventionally employed in the art, but the material should be flexible or pliable enough to allow the wig to appear natural when placed on the head of the wearer. The manner in which the hair or imitation hair is attached to the wig is also conventional.

The novel wig construction of this invention can be attached to the hair of the wearer in any suitable manner, for example, by a comb positioned on the underside of the Wig base whereby the teeth of the comb can be firmly inserted or positioned in the wearers hair. It is important that the method of attachment be such that the wig looks natural and a part of the wearers hair. If the wearer is bald or nearly bald, the method of attachment can be any suitable method used in that type of case, i.e., by use of an adhesive directly to bind the wig to the scalp, as described in U.S. Patent Nos. 2,850,023 and 3,165,107, or with an epoxy resin.

The wig construction of this invention will be more clearly apparent from the following description of the drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a bottom plane view of the hase or foundation with the hair attached thereon, illustrating a typical pocket attachment;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2 2 illustrating a moderate bouffant effect;

FIGURE 3 is identical to FIGURE 2 except that an extreme bouffant effect is illustrated;

FIGURE 4 is a plane view of the wig embodying the invention raised above the wearers head, as viewed from a back oblique angle;

FIGURE 5 is a plane view of the wig from the same back oblique angle as in FIGURE 4, with the wig placed upon the wearers head, illustrating the raised or bouffant effect;

FIGURE 6 is a left-side plane view of the wig on the wearers head, showing a moderate bouffant effect; and

FIGURE 7 is identical to FIGURE 6 except that it illustrates an extreme 4bouffant effect.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference character designates generally the womans wig embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIGURE l, wig 100 is comprised of a foundation or base designated generally as 102, upon which hair 104 is secured overlying the upper surface of base 102. Hair 104 is secured, e.g., by sewing, to base 102 around its external edge 106 and along lines 108. Base 102 is constructed from flexible netting, which forms the inner and outer 112 layers, and a slightly more rigid netting, which forms the middle layer 114. The pocket portion is designated generally as 116. Pocket 116 consists of the space or chamber 118 which is formed by base 102 and cover 120. Cover 120 is also constructed from flexible netting and is attached nearly around its entire circumference to base 102 in any convenient manner, for example, by sewing, by a Talon fastener, by snaps, and the like. The unattached portion of cover 120 comprises the entrance to pocket 116. It should be noted that pocket 116 can be located in any position on base 102 in order to give a raised or bouffant effect where desired. Comb 122, used to attach wig 100 to the wearers head, is attached to the front edge of wig 100 so that its teeth 124 point to the back of wig 100.

Referring to FIGURE 2, which is a sectional view of FIGURE l taken along line 2-2, it is seen that stuffing 3 f 126 can be inserted into pocket 116 to give a moderate bouffant effect-of the hair. The degree of height irnparted to wig 10i), or, in a sense, the degree of the bouffant effect, is largely governed by the amount and height of stuting 126 that is placed in pocket 116. An extreme bouffant effect is shown in FIGURE 3, which is similar to FIGURE 2 except that the pocket is shown with more stuffing.

FIGURE 4 shows the underside of Wig 100 in position just before it is attached to the wearers hair, and FIG- URE 5 shows wig 100 in position illustrating a haido having a-bouffant effect.- FIGURE -6 illustrates a person wearing wig 100 in a hair style having a moderate bouffant effect, and FIGURE 7 is similar to FIGURE 6 except that an extreme bouffant effect is illustrated.

Y rl'he `novel wigs of this invention can also be used by wig makers to produce a natural contour to the head in those instances where a person has an irregularily shaped head, such as, ilat, lopsided, etc.

It is claimed:

1. VA wig comprsing a exible base having an outer surface an inner surface; hair attached to the outer surface; a cover underlying at least a portion of the inner surface; means attaching at least a portion of the circumference of the cover to -a portion of the circumference of the inner surface to form a pocket therebetween including an entrance to the pocket said pocket containing removable pliable stuffing for shaping the wig; and means for attaching the base to the head of a wearer.

2. A wig as claimed in claim 1 in which the base attaching means comprises a comb.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1963 Lane 132-53 8/1965 'Tognan et al 2-171 

